Levittown man charged with strangling, burning Philly doc

A photograph of 36-year-old Jason Smith is displayed at a news conference Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, in Philadelphia. Homicide unit Capt. James Clark says Smith, an exterminator, has been charged with strangling a young Philadelphia doctor found bound and burned in her city row home. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A suburban exterminator has been charged with strangling a young Philadelphia doctor found bound and burned in her downtown row home, police announced Thursday.

Jason Smith, 36, was arrested Wednesday night at his home in Levittown, about 25 miles northeast of the city, homicide unit Capt. James Clark said at a news conference. Smith, who had no prior criminal record, is now charged in the killing 35-year-old Dr. Melissa Ketunuti.

Investigators said Smith never met Ketunuti before he had an appointment at her home about an hour before police responded on the day she was killed. They say he strangled her with a rope after the two got in an argument.

Police said they used video surveillance to lead them to Smith, who has been charged with murder, abuse of a corpse and other counts. There were no signs of sexual assault, police said.

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Ketunuti was a second-year infectious-diseases fellow and researcher at the renowned Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Her burning body was found in her basement Monday afternoon with her ankles and wrists bound.